Gaelic Language

Fife Council is currently consulting on the draft of its second Gaelic Language Plan.

The Gaelic Plan for Fife 2019-2024 sets out Fife Councils commitment to supporting Gaelic development and equity of language in line with the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005.

Gaelic in Fife
Fife has a long and rich history of Gaelic, predating the crowning of Malcolm Cannmore (a corruption of Ceann mòr meaning chief), at Dunfermline Abbey, and lasting after the Fife Adventurers (a group of 12 men from Fife sent by James VI in an attempt to ‘civilise’ the Macleods of Lewis).
Gaelic in Fife is not widely known of but is well documented, with Fife being mentioned in the Book of Deer, the earliest surviving written Gaelic in Scotland. The vast majority of placenames in Fife are Gaelic in origin, indicating not only how long Gaelic was spoken here but that it was the main language of the area for a substantial period of time.

Gaelic in Fife Today

The 2011 census showed 87,000 people in Scotland having some Gaelic language skills, an increase on previous census returns. Current estimates would attribute 5% of all Gaelic speakers in Scotland currently living in Fife.

It is worth noting that Gaelic speakers living in the rest of the UK are not recorded.

Gaelic Development in Fife is a community led affair with a range of groups and service providers coming together to create a sustainable network of events, activities and opportunities for the Gaelic community of Fife and those seeking to engage with Gaelic learning. Currently the following provisions regularly take place across Fife:

• Adult learning Classes
• Conversation Groups
• Book collections in libraries
• Bookbug and Gaelic Bookbug gifting
• Early years provision
• Gaelic Learning in Schools
• And more in partnership with Fife Gaelic Development Group and the Partnership Group for Gaelic in Fife.

For more specific details on any of these areas please use the contact below.

Gaelic placenames

In some areas, such as, Galloway, Fife and Aberdeenshire - the landscape is still one named by Gaelic speakers.

Place name

Gaelic Name

Description

Aberdour

Obar Dobhair

Mouth of Water

Cowdenbeath

Coilltean Beithe

Birch Woods

Dunfermline

Dùn Phàrlain

Hill-land

Freuchie

Fraochach

Heathery

Inverkeithing

Inbhir Chèitein

Mouth of the Keithing Burn

Markinch

Marc Innis

Horse Meadow

Rosyth

Ros Fhìobh

Headland of Fife

St Andrews

Cill Rìmhinn

The town was first called Muckross (boar-wood), then Kilrymont (church on the royal mount), then Kilrule (church of St Regulus) and finally St Andrews after the church of St Andrews

Beagan Gàidhlig/ Wee bit Gaelic

English

Gaelic

Suggested Phonetics*

Good Morning

Madainn Mhath

matting vah

Good Afternoon

Feasgar Math

feskar mah

Good Night

Oidhche mhaht

EYE-che vah

How are you?

Ciamar a tha thu?

Kimura ha-u

I’m fine

Tha gu math

ha g’mah

I’m tired

Tha mi sgith

HAMee SKEEEE

Don’t worry

Na gabh dragh

na gav drugh

Thank you

Mòran taing

MAWran TANK

*Phonetics are a suggestion only and largely depends on your own accent.

Useful Links

Ainmean-Aite na h-Alba - A free resource that provides a single source of authoritative information on Gaelic forms of place-names.